homelessness

A person stands at a podium speaking during a legislative session in the California State Capitol, holding a paper. Other legislators sit in rows in front of her, some looking at their laptops or phones. The chamber features tall columns and red curtains, with a formal and focused atmosphere.

Politics

Lawmakers and Newsom are billions apart on cuts to health care, education and more

Gov. Gavin Newsom proposed major cuts to Medi-Cal and other social programs to close a $12 billion deficit. Democrats in the state Legislature are pushing back, proposing more borrowing.

By

Yue Stella Yu

,

Jeanne Kuang

and

Mikhail Zinshteyn

• June 9, 2025

From left, Andrea Zeppa, homeless services regional coordinator for Alameda County Healthcare for the Homeless, and Deidra Perry, program financial manager for Alameda County Healthcare for the Homeless, team up during Alameda County’s 2024 point-in-time count in Berkeley, on Jan. 25, 2024. The PIT count, which included a voluntary survey, gathers data on the county’s homeless population. Photo by Loren Elliott for CalMatters

Housing

Fewer unhoused people are living on Inland Empire streets

Fewer people were living outside or in shelters in San Bernardino County. In Riverside, more people were in shelters than last year but fewer were on the streets.

By

Deborah Brennan

• June 4, 2025

A row of tents and makeshift shelters, covered with tarps and surrounded by personal belongings, lines a grassy area near a railway under an overcast sky. A person wearing a dark coat and hat moves near a white tent. In the background, a train approaches on an elevated track, and scattered items, bicycles, and blue recycling bins are visible throughout the encampment.

Commentary

Newsom tussles with local officials over homelessness

As Newsom and legislators fashion a new state budget, verbal exchanges between him and local officials about who is to blame have become sharper.

By

Dan Walters

• May 30, 2025

A person wearing a fluorescent yellow vest uses a broom to gather trash on the edge of a sidewalk overlooking a lake at a park. Various business and construction can be seen in the distant background.

Commentary

Angelenos agree MacArthur Park needs help. The reliance on police is where they differ

Mayor Karen Bass and the LAPD represent one approach to the MacArthur Park restoration effort. But as a raft of new issues emerge, activists and other leaders are pointing to strategies that address more fundamental issues.

By

Jim Newton

• May 29, 2025

A person wearing a jacket labeled "LAHSA" on the back is seen from behind, standing near a pile of personal belongings and debris in an outdoor encampment. In the background, individuals interact near tents and tarps, with one person holding an item. Yellow caution tape partially frames the foreground, suggesting a restricted area or active cleanup operation. The scene takes place on a sunny day.

Homelessness

Why California’s biggest local effort to fight homelessness is starting all over again

California cities and counties are supposed to work together to help their homeless residents. But those partnerships can be fraught.

By

Marisa Kendall

• May 20, 2025

Gov. Gavin Newsom during a press conference where he signed new gun legislation into law at the Capitol Annex Swing Space in Sacramento on Sept. 26, 2023.

Commentary

Newsom reveals his weaknesses when he needs political hardball to get his way

Gov. Gavin Newsom says Donald Trump is a "bully," but he's no stranger to using bullying tactics himself, especially to force local governments to obey his commands.

By

Dan Walters

• May 14, 2025

Surrounded by workers in hazmat suits and bright orange waste bags, Gov. Gavin Newsom helps clear a homeless encampment in San Diego.

Homelessness

Newsom wants cities to force homeless Californians to move camp every 3 days

In his latest push to crackdown on homeless encampments, Gov. Gavin Newsom urges cities to make certain camps illegal.

By

Marisa Kendall

• May 12, 2025

An encampment with scattered belongings, shopping carts, a tent covered in plastic, and a frosted artificial Christmas tree. A person stands near a chain-link fence while another sits by the tent. A worn trailer is in the background, and a dog is partially visible in the foreground.

Housing

‘Millions out on the street virtually overnight’: How Trump’s budget proposal could affect California

President Donald Trump's budget proposal in its present form would have huge effects on housing and homelessness in California.

By

Ben Christopher

and

Marisa Kendall

• May 5, 2025

A person wearing a red sweatshirt and glasses sits on a sidewalk, leaning against a building with their reflection visible in the window beside them. Trees and traffic are blurred in the background.

Homelessness

They found their homeless loved ones after years apart. But that was just the beginning

After reading a CalMatters article, two people were able to reconnect with their homeless relatives. Here’s what happened next.

By

Marisa Kendall

• May 1, 2025

Two people in hats and windbreakers use two brooms and a dustpan to sweep up trash on a messy street next to a sidewalk with a fence around it. Next to the workers is a trash can and a park across the street from where they are sweeping.

Commentary

‘We’re here every day’: Inside the painstaking effort to heal LA’s troubled MacArthur Park

As many as 10 nonprofit organizations are working to resuscitate MacArthur Park in Los Angeles, cleaning streets, treating drug overdoses and calming gang tensions, among other things.

By

Jim Newton

• May 1, 2025